A FORMER Newcastle United footballer has been interviewed by police after a North woman made rape accusations against him, it has been reported.

Midfielder Amdy Faye, currently on loan to Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers from Championship side Charlton, strenuously denies the claims.

The player, signed for the Toon by Graeme Souness in 2005 for £2m, was spoken to by detectives under caution.

A senior police source was quoted as saying: “We are taking these allegations seriously. It’s not an allegation of stranger rape, the woman knew the man concerned.

“He has been seen by us but was not arrested. He cooperated fully and denies any wrongdoing.”

The allegations have been denounced by Faye’s lawyer as “utterly untrue”.

The woman claims Faye raped her on four separate occasions last year at his then-London home, according to the reports in at least two Scottish newspapers.

Faye, 31, insists he has had no sexual contact whatsoever with the woman.

The woman, who is from the North and is in her 20s, waited nearly a year after the last alleged incident, in February 2007, before contacting police.

Married Faye, who was at St James’s Park for just 18 months, has made only three Rangers first-team appearances since moving there on loan last summer.

The devout Muslim, who does not drink, “vehemently and categorically denies” the allegations.

His lawyer Angus McBride said he denied the allegations and had attended a London police station by appointment on March 19. He was not arrested.

Mr McBride said: “These allegations are utterly untrue.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “On three or four occasions in February and March last year, a girl told police she was raped. We can confirm that on March 19 a man attended an East London police station by appointment.

“He was interviewed under caution. He was not arrested. Inquiries continue.”

It’s not the first time Faye, from Senegal, has had dealings with the law.

He was arrested at his home in Glasgow in November along with Scots football agent Willie McKay in a football corruption probe.

He was later released on bail. Police were investigating allegations dating back to 2003 . . . the year he joined Portsmouth from French side Auxerre.